As always, I am not JKR and I do not own any of this.

Note to anonymous commenter: I wanted to apologize to the commenter that took the time to leave me such kind words that I accidently deleted in the process of deleting someone who was truly obnoxious in their comments.

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Harry went out to the main room, and saw a chaotic scene in which teacups were being passed, cakes eaten, and general noise dominating. He looked around, not quite sure what he should be doing.

"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley greeted him. "Chocolate or tea?"

"Um, chocolate," he replied, thinking that most kids would probably prefer it. He didn't want to seem strange in front of the others.

"Here you go," he handed him a cup. "Grab some biscuits before they're gone."

Harry sipped the chocolate, finding it sweet and strong, and slipped a cookie off the plate as quietly as he could. He could not believe the ruckus with the others, and most of all he couldn't believe that Mr. Weasley seemed not to mind.

"Are you a Cannons man, Baker?" one of the twins asked him.

"Umm . . ." Harry replied, not sure how to answer.

"Quidditch, man!" the other twin chimed in. "We need to know where you stand!"

"What's Quidditch?" Harry asked, flummoxed.

The boys thought that he was kidding, and so they laughed, slapping their thighs and repeating, "What's Quidditch? Good one, Baker. Hey, did you get a chocolate biscuit before Percy quaffed them all?"

Harry laughed along with them, not sure why it was funny, but liking being part of the group. He had never felt like this before, as if he were accepted and part of the group. And, for the first time in the room, he had the best clothes on. These boys could look at him and not know there was any difference between him and any other boy.

"Are you really his ward?" one of the twins asked. "You have to live with the greasy git?"

"Professor Snape is now my guardian," Harry answered, torn between feeling loyal to his guardian and wanting the boys to like him. "It's actually been pretty good."

"I hear he's really a vampire," Ron said, a little fear in his voice. "Harry, have you actually seen him eat any normal food?"

"Of course," Harry giggled, trying to picture Snape sucking someone's blood. "That's ridiculous."

"Snape is a good professor, though very strict," Percy chimed in, sniffing. "Fred and George, you will meet your match with that one."

"The day a teacher thinks he's our match will be his downfall," Fred and George said together, smiling evil grins. "But really, potions is one of our favorite topics."

"After all," George added. "What do you think is the secret to our success?"

"You will have more success if you become serious at Hogwarts," Percy intoned. "You will find the professors not as forgiving as mum is to your antics."

"I cannot wait to get there!" one of the twins answered. "This having mum as a teacher is getting so old. She hardly jumps at our pranks any more."

"What about you, Harry?" the other twin asked. "I would bet having the bat as a guardian really bites."

"He is strict," Harry answered. "But I'm getting better with the quill pen thing."

"Where were you before him?" Percy asked, suddenly suspicious. "You sound like you were raised by muggles or something."

"I was," Harry admitted. "By my aunt and uncle. They died, and apparently Snape was my Godfather. So here I am."

"So this is all new to you?" Ron asked. "Wicked."

"I really wished I knew more," Harry confessed.

"Is that why Snape beat you?" Ron asked carefully.

"He didn't beat me," Harry flushed. "I fell off my broom this afternoon and didn't tell him about it. I had a bloody big stab on my bum from a branch. He healed me though, so I'm mostly better."

"You have your own broom?" Ron squeaked.

"It's a Safesweep 16," Harry answered.

"You fell off a Safesweep?" George laughed. "What were you doing on it? They're supposed to be for babies."

"Really?" Harry asked. "I've had a lot of fun on mine. I mean, it can't go fast or high, but you can still twirl and fly like a corkscrew and stuff."

"You can corkscrew on a broom?" Fred demanded. "When did you learn to fly? Weren't you raised by muggles?"

"Snape bought me the broom yesterday," Harry admitted. "So I'm no expert. But it's lots of fun."

"We need to get this lad on a broom!" George announced.

Harry found himself jostled outside, and handed a broom that felt a lot different than his Safesweep. This broom was larger and heavier, and he swung his leg over with anticipation. He was about to ask about safety gear, but the other boys flew up without it, so he followed. This broom easily cleared five feet, and he could tell that it could go a lot faster too. He flew around a bit, testing how it responded to him.

"Let's see a corkscrew, then," George called out.

Gaining speed, Harry tipped it over into a loose corkscrew. He righted the broom, already feeling that this broom could do so much more. Laughing, he took the broom into a dive, looped around, and then pulled up sharply.

"Bloody hell," he heard Fred cry out as Harry sped around him, looping over him easily. "He's a Quidditch prodigy."

"What is Quidditch?" Harry asked, pulling his broom to a halt and catching his breath. He couldn't help the huge smile plastered on his face.

"It is a game played on brooms," Percy primly replied. "We have a set of practice balls, shall we have a bit of a game?"

After conversing with Molly and Arthur, Snape looked out the window of the burrow expecting to see Harry playing with the other boys. But when he saw Harry diving after a snitch, full speed and with no protective gear on his body, Snape found himself racing out, his wand drawn. That fool child, he growled to himself. He's going to break his bloody neck!

Instead of having to cast a cushioning charm or worse, levitate a battered child into the house, he saw the lad pull up on the broom just before it struck the ground and scoop up the small practice snitch in his hand. The other boys cheered wildly, and Harry did a celebratory corkscrew going straight up.

"What is going on here?" he demanded loudly, crossing his arms and glaring at the boys.

Harry, his stomach suddenly dropping and his mouth going dry, quickly pulled the broom down and landed just in front of the Professor. Gulping, he dismounted the broom and hung his head. "They were teaching me Quidditch, sir," he answered softly.

"Unless you want to stand during dinner you will cease trying to break your neck," Snape growled at him, his eyes flashing. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," Harry whispered.

"It's our fault," Fred said, landing next to Harry. "We got him on the broom."

"And Professor," George chimed in. "You didn't tell us he was a bloody prodigy!"

"Language, Mr. Weasley," Snape chided. "And yes, Mr. Baker does seem to possess some innate talent on the broom. However, he is far too young to be flying on a full-sized broom and without safety gear."

"I'm sorry," Harry told him, still looking down.

Snape saw his contrition and his anger softened. He had been thinking about punishment, and now he found himself thinking just a stern warning would suffice. Obviously, being reprimanded in front of his new friends should be punishment enough, he thought to himself.

"As well you should be," he told Harry firmly. "And there will be no more flying today."

"Yes, sir," he replied, tears forming in his eyes. What was going to happen next? He shuddered to guess.

"Next time you can bring your own broom and safety gear when you play with your friends," Snape told him firmly. "But for now I think it's time for everyone to wash up for dinner."

Harry could hardly believe his luck at not getting smacked in front of his new friends. He felt deeply grateful that the Professor had shown him that mercy, though he knew his carelessness would inevitably lead to his punishment when he got home. And in Snape's scolding there was much to hope for too - he had all but promised that he could come back and visit these boys and play on the brooms again. He could hardly believe his luck. Even if it cost a spanking with a ruler it would be worth it.

Dinner was more of the exciting chaos, but Harry found himself more accustomed to it. He happily grabbed a slice of bread as the basket went by and asked for more when Molly served him roasted chicken and vegetables. Snape watched him as interacted with the Weasleys, and realized that this was the most relaxed that he'd ever seen the boy. Frowning, he began to wonder if this wouldn't be a better place for the boy to grow up. The blood wards, he reminded himself, It had to be him. But he also found a strange reluctance for Harry to leave as well, though he scowled and tried to stuff that emotion down. He also pushed down that part of him that realized what that emotion meant.

I have enough to think about without all of that, he told himself firmly. I need to figure out where this threat is coming from, and how to neutralize it. And, he added, I need to figure out how to phrase the beginning of the story about his guardianship that was going to prevent McGonagall from transfiguring him into a cockroach.